Few sports stories in the past year have been as emotional a rollercoaster as that of NHL enforcer John Scott. Scott—a journeyman player known less for his skills on the ice than for his ability to be 6'8", intimidating, and eager to drop the gloves—earned his way into the NHL in 2006 after putting in time in college and the developmental American Hockey League. He's played for the Minnesota Wild, the Chicago Blackhawks, the New York Rangers, the Buffalo Sabres, the San Jose Sharks, and the Arizona Coyotes in his time in the league—not the sort of guy that typically gets considered an all-star. But when the NHL opened the All-Star Game up to fan-voting this year, Scott—who had scored a total of 11 points in eight years in the league—found himself the recipient of a lot of enthusiasm. There was some debate as to whether the fan push was genuine or mean-spirited, but a lot of the groundswell had as much to do with Scott's not being a traditional "All-Star" as with his personality—if anyone would embrace and enjoy being the black sheep of the All-Star Game, it would be the guy who once wore a T-shirt adorned with a photo of himself scoring a rare goal.

And it all had a storybook ending. So how better to tell it than with an actual storybook? That's what writer/illustrator Kathy Polo figured—and thus was born The Legend of John Scott, an illustrated, lightly-animated children's book, written in verse, that tells the triumph that Scott—who ended up not just playing in the All-Star Game after fan outcry made the NHL reconsider their position on keeping him out, but also scoring two goals and being voted the game's MVP—finally achieved.

In Polo's telling, the emotional journey of Scott—who penned his own heartstring-tugging essay about the experience for The Player's Tribune—shines. The story, told with minimalist illustrations and a Seussian verve and wit, emphasizes the happy ending—as all good storybooks do—but captures the the journey to it effectively. (Also, it may be the first children's book to feature an animated collection of angry bloggers) "The entire 'John Scott: All Star' saga read like a book," Polo tells Co.Create. "It was a classic underdog story that seized the hearts of fans and viewers, and I know many of us will contiue to talk about it in years to come. You have a hero and a universal lesson: all the makings of a children's book. So I figured, what better way to share this great story?"